ADD_THIS

Thursday, August 25, 2016

Leave a comment on THIS post by 6 p.m. CT Tuesday, August 30, 2016 to be entered in the DRAWING for a copy of the book below. If you mention in your comment that you’re a follower (see in the left sidebar “Join This Site” and “Follow by Email”), I'll add your name a second time in the drawing. U.S. mailing address required to receive a paper book. I may or may not have read books offered for giveaways. The mention and giveaway of books on my blog does not in any way indicate any manner of my endorsement of said books. Read book giveaway details at Disclaimers. To provide you security, please leave your email address like this: johnATyahooDOTcom. Winner announced in next Thursday's blog post.

MAIL ORDER SURPRISE

by Lucy Thompson

Lucy Thompson is a stay-at-home mum to five

Lucy Thompson

precocious children by day and a snoop by night, stalking interesting characters through historical settings, and writing about their exploits.She enjoys meeting new people from all over the world and learning about the craft of writing. When she can be separated from her laptop, she is a professional time waster on Facebook.Her home is in central Queensland, Australia where she does not ride a kangaroo to the shops, mainly because her children won’t fit.

Welcome, Lucy. If you could have dinner with one person from today or history (except Jesus) who would it be? Why? My Nana. She passed away last November and there is so much I still had to learn from her. What fun or unique things can you tell us about yourself?I’m an Australian and don’t like kangaroos. :) I have five children, all with reasonably difficult names to spell or pronounce. While playing Singstar® on the Playstation 2, I once sung ABBA songs for FOUR hours straight. Yes, I could still talk afterwards. ;)What is your favorite Bible verse?“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” Galatians 6:9-10 NIVWhat do you enjoy most about writing?The ability to speak God’s truth to hurting women through made up words about people who don’t exist outside of my imagination. (Try saying that three times fast!) Please tell us a little about your novel, Mail Order Surprise.My first book, Mail Order Surprise, released late April.Colorado, 1881.

Lydia Walsh is on the run. The quiet rancher she marries and expected to find safety and protection with turns out to have three siblings, next to nothing to live on, and is a crack shot who may or may not be one of the state’s best cattle rustlers. Beau Harding wants to keep his family together and do the right thing by them. His mail order bride comes with her own set of baggage: two more mouths to feed and empty hearts begging him to fill. The job he took for some quick money gets him thrown in jail for rustling, and then to clear his name he takes on another job--and learns that his wife may have been the one plotting his family’s downfall all along.Where can readers find you online?I’d love to make a new friend. :) Look me up on Facebook either at my author page or at my personal Facebook page. I also have a website, where I promise to not post too often. ;)

Where can readers purchase Mail Order Surprise? AmazonAny parting comment?In my story, Lydia is recovering from a relationship that had domestic violence. I’ve experienced this in my life and know first-hand how devastating it is. I just want you to know that Jesus really loves you. Like really loves you. And that he has better for you than a life where your worth isn’t valued. So, if you can identify with Lydia, I encourage you to pray. Pray for wisdom. And get a good support network. That’s all for now. God bless. :)Leave a question you’d like readers to answer.What is your favorite part about a mail order bride story? (Commenters not required to answer to be entered in the book giveaway drawing.)Lucy, thanks for visiting with my readers and me. One commenter to this blog post will be selected to receive an eBook copy of Mail Order Surprise that Lucy has offered. Commenters please remember to leave your email address so I can contact you if you’re the winner.

The winner of last Thursday’s blog post for a copy of A Promise in Defiance by Heather Blanton is Diane. I’ll email you. Thanks all for commenting. Watch for more book giveaways.Till next time … keep on smiling.

Thanks for reading my blog! My recently released novella, Donna’s Detour, is included in a boxed set of 10 romantic novellas, and all take place on the historic U.S. Route 66, a two-lane highway that ran from Chicago to California's west coast. Available in eBook at Amazon.

Thursday, August 18, 2016

Leave a comment on THIS post by 6 p.m. CT Tuesday, August 23, 2016 to be entered in the DRAWING for a copy of the book below. If you mention in your comment that you’re a follower (see in the left sidebar “Join This Site” and “Follow by Email”), I'll add your name a second time in the drawing. U.S. mailing address required to receive a paper book. I may or may not have read books offered for giveaways. The mention and giveaway of books on my blog does not in any way indicate any manner of my endorsement of said books. Read book giveaway details at Disclaimers. To provide you security, please leave your email address like this: johnATyahooDOTcom. Winner announced in next Thursday's blog post.

A PROMISE IN DEFIANCE

by Heather Blanton

A former journalist, Heather is an avid researcher

and skillfully weaves truth in among fictional story

Heather Blanton

lines. She loves exploring the American West, especially ghost towns and museums. She has walked parts of the Oregon Trail, ridden horses through the Rockies, and even held an outlaw's note in her hand.She is the independent bestselling author of several Christian Westerns, including the Romance in the Rockies series, which has sold over 40,000 copies.

She writes Westerns because she grew up on a steady diet of Bonanza, Gunsmoke, and John Wayne movies. Her most fond childhood memory is of sitting next to her father, munching on popcorn, and watching Lucas McCain unload that Winchester!

Welcome, Heather. If you could have dinner with one person from today or history (except Jesus) who would it be? Why?I gave this a lot of thought. Really, I did. I came up with The Marx Brothers. Three of the smartest, wittiest, and most well-adjusted individuals Hollywood never destroyed. Just thinking about the dinner conversation has me in stitches. Groucho waving his cigar and talking smack, Chico slinging that fake Italian accent, and Harpo throwing his leg into my hand (if you don’t know about the shtick, check out this clip on Youtube) And maybe after dessert, we could enjoy some harp and piano duets.What do you enjoy doing for relaxation?Relaxation. Relaxation? People keep using that word. I do not think it means what they think it means. LOL. About 9 pm every night I shut down the kitchen, flip the mom sign to closed, and take over the TV to watch a little Castle (huge fan). Other than that, I love a good hike, and I go kayaking about once a week. We have a lot of eagles on our lake and I love watching them.What do you enjoy most about writing?Writing. I mean, there are days when what I write wouldn’t be called writing. I can’t think of a polite word for it. Then there are those glorious, blessed days when the heavens open up, light shines down, and I pour out sheer brilliance on the laptop screen. At least, that’s what it feels like to me. Readers may not agree. But those moments make it worth the days I wade through knee-high piles of mental junk.What can your readers expect from you next?A little change of sub-genre. Not a big change. I am currently working on a Christmas novella entitled Love, Lies, &Typewriters. Still a romance set in the West, but what makes this one different is it’s lighter than anything I’ve written before; you could label it a romcom. I’ve also come into the Twentieth Century. LL&T is set in 1943 Cheyenne, WY and World War 2 is, obviously, the back drop. I have really enjoyed the research for this story, and my mom was a rich source of first-hand accounts. Please tell us a little about your novel, A Promise in Defiance.CHOICES HAVE CONSEQUENCES...EVEN FOR THE REDEEMED.

When Charles McIntyre founded Defiance, he was more than happy to rule in hell rather than serve in heaven. But things have changed. Now, he has faith, a new wife...and a ten-year-old half-breed son. Infamous madam Delilah Goodnight wants to take it all away from him. How can he protect his kingdom and his loved ones from her schemes without falling back on his past? How does he fight evil if not with evil?

Logan Tillane carries a Bible in his hand, wears a gun on his hip, and fights for lost souls any way he can. Newly arrived in Defiance, he has trouble, though, telling saints from sinners. The challenge only worsens when Delilah flings open the doors to the scandalous Crystal Chandelier. She and the new preacher have opposite plans for the town. One wants to save it, one wants to lead it straight to hell.

For Tillane and McIntyre, finding redemption was a long, hard road. God's grace has washed away their sins, but the consequences remain and God will not be mocked. For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap...and the harvest is finally at hand. Where can readers find you online?WebsiteFacebookTwitterPinterestWhere can readers purchase A Promise in Defiance?My Defiance series is available in bookstores and on Amazon.Any parting comment?Thanks for having me, Jo, I enjoyed the visit as always, and I hope to hear from readers. I love their feedback and interact daily with them on Facebook. I’m a little slower to tweet. Please leave a question you’d like readers to answer. (Commenters not required to answer to be entered in the book giveaway drawing.)When it comes to setting stories out west, what area do you prefer to read about?Heather, thanks for visiting with my readers and me. One commenter to this blog post will be selected to receive their choice of a print or eBook copy of A Promise in Defiance that Heather has offered. Commenters please leave a comment before 6 pm August 23, 2016 and remember to leave your email address so I can contact you if you’re the winner.

The winner of last Thursday’s blog post for a copy of Deep Shadows by Vannetta Chapman is Caryl. I’ll email you. Thanks all for commenting. Watch for more book giveaways.

Till next time … keep on smiling.

Thanks for reading my blog! My recently released novella, Donna’s Detour,
is included in a boxed set of 10 romantic novellas, set on the historic U.S. Route 66, a two-lane highway that ran from Chicago
to California's west coast. Available in eBook at Amazon.

Thursday, August 11, 2016

Leave a comment on THIS post by 6 p.m. CT Tuesday, August 16, 2016 to be entered in the DRAWING for a copy of the book below. If you mention in your comment that you’re a follower (see in the left sidebar “Join This Site” and “Follow by Email”), I'll add your name a second time in the drawing. U.S. mailing address required to receive a paper book. I may or may not have read books offered for giveaways. The mention and giveaway of books on my blog does not in any way indicate any manner of my endorsement of said books. Read book giveaway details at Disclaimers. To provide you security, please leave your email address like this: johnATyahooDOTcom. Winner announced in next Thursday's blog post.

DEEP SHADOWS

by Vannetta Chapman

Vannetta Chapman writes inspirational fiction full of

Vannetta Chapman

grace, including romantic suspense and Amish romance novels. She is the author of seventeen novels, including the Pebble Creek Amish series, The Shipshewana Amish Mystery series and Anna’s Healing, a 2016 Christy Award finalist. Vannetta is a Carol award winner and also received more than two dozen awards from Romance Writers of America chapter groups. She was a teacher for 15 years and currently resides in the Texas hill country. For more information, visit her at www.VannettaChapman.com.

Welcome, Vannetta. If you could have dinner with one person from today or history (except Jesus) who would it be? Why?My grandparents because I would love to have their perspective on the life and times they lived through.What do you enjoy doing for relaxation? I like to quilt, though I’m fairly new at it. I also exercise a lot. I garden, and of course I read several books a week. I also play the piano and that is very relaxing.What can your readers expect from you next?Sarah’s Orphans, the 3rd book in my Plain and Simple Miracles series releases on August 30th. Overshadowed, the prequel to Deep Shadows, will be a free ebook novella, and it will release on October 1st.What can readers who enjoy your book do to help make it successful? With all the marketing strategies and social media opportunities, there are still 2 very simple things that readers can do to help to make a book a success. First, tell a friend. Just tell someone you know loves to read about the book. Second, leave a review on Amazon. It can be short and simply include how the book made you feel. Both of these things are super helpful!Please tell us a little about your novel, Deep Shadows. All It Takes Is One Night to Plunge the World into Darkness

Life in Abney, Texas, is predictable and safe--until the night a massive solar flare wipes out all modern technology.Shelby Sparks, novelist and single mom, had one goal: to provide for her diabetic son. In the wake of this global disaster, her mission hasn't changed. Only now, medication is a priceless commodity and the future resembles an apocalyptic nightmare.Max Berkman and Shelby were once sweethearts, but he lost his chance at claiming her love years ago. When the abrupt loss of power ushers him into a leadership role, he rises to the occasion. But his highest priority--to keep Shelby and her son safe--could prove to be the biggest challenge of all.As the brilliant northern lights give way to deep shadows, Max and Shelby's faith will be tested like never before. Only one rule remains: Find a way to survive.* * *In this first book in an eerily plausible dystopian series, a memorable cast of characters must navigate a familiar world thrown into chaos.Where can readers find you online?WebsiteTwitterFacebookInstagram

Where can readers purchase Deep Shadows? AmazonBarnes and NobleCBDAny parting comment? Deep Shadows is a story about our ability to survive during terrible times, but it’s also a story of God’s grace--how He will continue to provide for us. How we can be confident of His provision even when the world around us is falling apart. Though it’s in the dystopian genre (which literally means an imperfect world), it’s essentially a story of hope.Leave a question you’d like readers to answer.If you were allowed to keep only one electronic device (this includes phone or a/c or refrigerator, etc.), what would you choose to keep?

Vannetta,thanks for visiting with my readers and me. One commenter to this blog post will be selected to receive their choice of a print or eBook copy of Deep Shadows that Vannetta has offered. Commenters, please remember to leave your email address so I can contact you if you’re the winner.

The winner of last Thursday’s blog post for an eBook copy of Starlight Serenade by Debra E. Marvin is Melanie. I’ll email you. Thanks all for commenting. Watch for more book giveaways.Till next time … keep on smiling.

Thanks for reading my blog! My recently released novella is titled Donna’s Detour. The story is set in 1956 on the historic U.S. Route 66, a two-lane highway that ran from Chicago to California's west coast. Available in eBook at Amazon.

Thursday, August 4, 2016

Leave a comment on THIS post by 6 p.m. CT Tuesday, August 9, 2016 to be entered in the DRAWING for a copy of the book below. If you mention in your comment that you’re a follower (see in the left sidebar “Join This Site” and “Follow by Email”), I'll add your name a second time in the drawing. U.S. mailing address required to receive a paper book. I may or may not have read books offered for giveaways. The mention and giveaway of books on my blog does not in any way indicate any manner of my endorsement of said books. Read book giveaway details at Disclaimers. To provide you security, please leave your email address like this: johnATyahooDOTcom. Winner announced in next Thursday's blog post.

STARLIGHT SERENADE

by Debra E. Marvin

DEBRA E MARVIN released her first two novellas, Alarmingly Charming from WhiteFire Publishing, and Desert Duet from Forget Me Not Romances, a division of Winged Publications, last year. Now there’s Starlight Serenade, with more novellas contracted.Her unpublished contest successes included The Fab Five, The Maggies, the TARA, Great Expectations, Heart of the Rockies, twice in the Daphne DuMaurier, and the overall winner of the Phoenix Rattler. Debra works at Cornell University in upstate NY, and is on the board of Bridges Ministry. She enjoys her family, clever grandchildren, obsessively buying fabric, watching British programming and traveling with her childhood friends.

Welcome, Debra. If you could have dinner with one person from today or history (except Jesus) who would it be? Why? I’d love to have dinner with a great-grandmother or great-great, and hear about their life! I’d want to enjoy it and feel relaxed, so I won’t be choosing anyone famous. Wouldn’t it be amazing to meet an ancestor? And have pie for dessert!What fun or unique things can you tell us about yourself?1- I’m a hands-on DIYer who’s done plumbing, electrical and many other aspects of “homework.” 2- I basically don’t watch TV, so I hope I never get that category on Jeopardy (as if). (Unless it’s the occasional British mystery online, or Masterpiece Theater) I haven’t even watched DWTS in years. 3- My grandchildren call me Granny–at my request. Most people think it sounds like an old lady, but I like it and I suppose it’s a nod to my British heritage.What do you enjoy doing for relaxation? It’s not always relaxing, but my favorite hobby is working with fabric. I love to make costumes, quilts, doll clothes, etc. It’s something I’ve done since I was little. My grandmother taught me how to knit and crochet and my mother taught me how to embroider and sew. I’ve been making things ever since. I think it’s relaxing to make things with your hands (when you aren’t under pressure to put out quantity!), and it soothes me to create and see the finished product.What can your readers expect from you next?I seem to have a string of novellas on the horizon. At least three more will be set in Arizona to add to Desert Duet (Humbug, AZ) and Starlight Serenade (Flagstaff, AZ) from Forget Me Not Romances, a division of Winged Publications.Please tell us a little about your novel, Starlight Serenade.The Englishman would look back one day and blame it all on Jazz…

Flagstaff, Arizona 1930. Full-time Astronomer, and part-time sharp dresser Julian Dyson didn’t discover Pluto but he does discover a nasty case of self-righteousness when a former Ziegfeld Girl’s folly threatens his good name. Broadway understudy Clara Longworth and her peculiar younger brother are on their way to a new life in Hollywood when they are stranded along Route 66. Clara is asked to fill in as nightclub entertainment, but her good intentions set her up as accomplice in the blackmailing of a government man who makes the real thugs look classy.Until Julian and Clara put their heads together for more than dancing the Black Bottom, their big-as-the-night-sky dreams are on target to fail. Maybe they need a telescope to see what’s right in front of their starry eyes.

Jo, I hope you had as much fun researching and writing your Route 66 story as I did. It’s really a mystery and a sweet romance tied in together. I was delighted to learn that Flagstaff had an underground tunnel system. 1930 was also the year that Pluto was discovered at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, so I chose that location for my Route 66 story. If readers like to guess the ‘whodunit’ as well as read light, sweet romance, I hope they’ll consider Starlight Serenade.Where can readers find you online? Amazon Author PageFacebook Author PageTwitterWebsitePinterestOn Inkwell InspirationsAt Colonial QuillsWhere can readers purchase Starlight Serenade?AmazonAny parting comment? Thank you so much for inviting me to visit. I’d love to do a giveaway to one of your readers, so please, dear reader, let me know and safely include your email address if you’re interested!Leave a question you’d like readers to answer.And, I have one question for readers! Do you read and review? Do you know how important that is to a writer’s success? We are always looking for reviewers and you don’t have to be journalist school graduate to qualify. Most readers appreciate a short and simple review of what you liked about a story. Please contact me or Jo and we’ll be happy to help you get started!Debra, thanks for visiting with my readers and me. Yes, I enjoyed researching and writing my Route 66 novella, Donna’s Detour. I write sweet Southern romances. In Donna’s Detour, Donna lives in Alabama and takes a road trip with two girlfriends on Route 66, their goal to reach Los Angeles.One commenter will be chosen to receive an eBook copy of Debra’s novella, Starlight Serenade. Commenters, please include your email so that if you win the book drawing I can contact you.

The winner of last Thursday’s blog post for a copy of The Things We Knew by Catherine West is Maryann. I’ll email you. Thanks all for commenting. Watch for more book giveaways.

Till next time … keep on smiling.

Thanks for reading my blog! My recently released novella is titled Donna’s Detour. The story is set in 1956 on the historic U.S. Route 66, a two-lane highway that ran from Chicago to California's west coast. Available in eBook at Amazon.